Five Arab men convicted in Westland Pharmacy robbery
November 27th, 20140 WESTLAND — Five Arab American men have been sentenced to 2-17 years in prison in connection with a pharmacy robbery that occurred in Westland in 2012.The five men charged are all from the Dearborn-Detroit area. Ali Ramzi Bazzi, Hassan I. Faraj, Mike Ali Ibrahim and Khoder Aoun all pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court. The...
Lebanese expatriates celebrate homeland’s Independence Day in Dearborn
November 27th, 20140 Lebanese Consul General to Detroit Bilal Kabalan.DEARBORN — Lebanon's gloomy political climate did not stop Lebanese Americans from celebrating their homeland's 71st Independence Day. More than 100 prominent community members gathered at The Arab American National Museum on Monday and shared food and conversations in observance of the...
Plans for opposed Plymouth mosque move forward
November 21st, 20140 PLYMOUTH — Plans for the Plymouth Mosque that was heavily contested by residents who cited increased traffic volumes as a concern about the religious institution being built are moving forward. A study conducted by the Township found traffic would be minimal. Hundreds attended a Plymouth Township Hall planning commission meeting...
Enrollment for Affordable Care Act starts, ACCESS assisting consumers
November 21st, 20140 Madiha Tariq, public health manager of ACCESS’ Community Health and Research Center, shares ACCESS’ plans for the start of health care open enrollment at a press conference Nov. 14 in Dearborn.DEARBORN — When the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, rolled out last year, it was dubbed by right wing politicians...
UAE’s designatation of CAIR and MAS as terrorist shocks Muslims
November 21st, 20140 DETROIT — On Saturday, the United Arab Emirates designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim American Society (MAS)— two U.S.-based Islamic groups — as terrorist organizations.CAIR, MAS and a host of European Muslim organizations were included alongside violent extremist groups such al-Qaeda and the...
Dearborn designates parking spots for snow emergencies
November 21st, 20140 DEARBORN – This week, city officials announced details for a pilot program that would designate parking spots for residents during a snow emergency this winter.Last week, The Arab American News reported that the city was prepping for the season with the announcement of the program, following last year’s harsh winter, which saw more...
Muslim student leads initiative with classmates to bring Pope Francis to Detroit
November 21st, 20140 Some of the (Pope Francis Project Detroit 2015) team with City of Detroit First Lady Lori Maher and Deputy Mayor Ike McKinnon.DETROIT — A group of students from Detroit Cristo Rey High School are spearheading an initiative to bring Pope Francis to the city in 2015.This week, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan responded to the initiative by...
Dearborn High student publishes first novel
November 21st, 20140 DEARBORN – A local 16-year-old Arab American high school student has turned her passion for writing into a career with the publication of her first novel. Jamila Nasser, a junior at Dearborn High School, struck a deal with Author House Publishing for her romance novel, “What He Never Knew.” The book is expected to be available...
Study: children, energy drinks a dangerous combination
November 21st, 20140 DETROIT — More than 40 percent of reports about energy drinks to U.S. poison control centers involved children younger than 6, with some suffering serious cardiac and neurological symptoms, according to research presented Nov. 17 by the American Heart Association.This disproportionate representation of children is concerning given...
National Arab American Medical Association of Michigan celebrates 34th annual gala
November 21st, 20140 DEARBORN — The Detroit Chapter of the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA) celebrated its 34th annual gala on Friday, Nov. 14 at the Dearborn Inn, with hundreds in attendance. NAAMA members include medical professionals of Arab rescent or demonstrate a commitment to the mission and organizational objectives of...
Gibraltar Trade Center in Taylor closes down
November 21st, 20140 Gibraltar Trade Center in Taylor.TAYLOR — Gibraltar Trade Center has always promised its customers a unique shopping experience. And unique it was. The Taylor flea market was a place where you could negotiate prices, buy furniture, adopt a rodent or reptile, choose a diamond ring for your future life partner, shop for dollar-store and...State Senate bill to double fuel tax for road funding
LANSING — Earlier this month a bill passed in the state senate that would roughly double Michigan's fuel tax to raise around $1 billion to repair roads. According to retailers, the bill could make Michigan the state with the highest gas prices in the country. Many argue a different approach is needed to raise money to fix...U.S. Attorney charges two with identity theft of more than 1,400 people
DETROIT — Two individuals were charged with running an identity theft and false income tax return scheme on Tuesday. Barbara McQuade, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, was joined in the announcement by Jeffrey Frost, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Detroit Field Office; Jarod Koopman,...Detroit Public Schools expands bilingual offerings to students
DETROIT — To meet the needs of its diverse body of students and families, The Detroit Public Schools System is expanding its bilingual and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) offerings to students and parents and has announced a new opportunity for teachers to seek tuition reimbursement if they obtain a Bilingual Endorsement....
‘Project Dignity’ and HYPE join hands to feed Detroit’s homeless
November 21st, 20140 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — On Wednesday, Nov. 26, Project Dignity and HYPE Athletics Community will host its annual Thanksgiving Day Feed Detroit Campaign, presented by Fast Splash Car Wash, which plans to feed 1,000 Metro Detroit families. The event will be hosted from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the NSO (Neighborhood Services Organization)......
Attorney Nabih Ayad appointed to Wayne County Airport Authority Board
November 21st, 20140 Nabih AyadDETROIT — Nabih Ayad, an attorney and chairman of the Arab American Civil Rights League, has been appointed to serve on the Wayne County Airport Authority Board of Directors.Ayad was appointed to a six-year term by Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. The Wayne County Airport Authority consists of seven independent...
Islamic House of Wisdom honors four community leaders at fundraiser
November 21st, 20140 Dignitaries pose for a group photo at IHW in Dearborn Heights.DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Hundreds of guests gathered at the Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW) in Dearborn Heights on Sunday, November 16 for a fundraising dinner that honored four community dignitaries. Those in attendance included Dearborn Heights Mayor Daniel Paletko, Wayne......
Immigrant advocates applaud Macomb Community College Tuition Equality vote
MACOMB COUNTY — Immigrants’ rights activists praised the vote to approve Tuition Equality by the Macomb Community College board of trustees. The new policy moves away from asking about immigration status and citizenship to a policy that uses address verification to designate a student as in-district or out-of-district. Students must...
$100 million fund to assist minority businesses in Detroit
November 21st, 20140 DETROIT — A $100 million fund that will help provide capital for minority owned businesses in Detroit and throughout southeast Michigan was recently announced. The Minority Business Access Fund will provide loans from $100,000 to $20 million. The fund is supported by four private equity and investment firms. Detroit Mayor Mike...$1,000 prize for best success story of Immigrant entrepreneurs
Immigrant entrepreneurs and immigrant-owned small businesses in the Metro Detroit region are invited to enter a contest offering a $1,000 prize for the best success story describing their experience. Deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. on November 26.Called “A Day in the Life of an Immigrant Entrepreneur”, the contest is sponsored by...Islamic organization to hold blood drive in commemoration of Ashura
DEARBORN — The Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya (I.M.A.M) is holding a blood drive on Sunday, Dec. 14 from 3 to 5 p.m. The blood drive is being held in commemoration of the passing of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Islam’s prophet Muhammed. Last month, Shi’a Muslims worldwide, including the large community here in......
Biggby Coffee opens second halal location with community partners
November 14th, 20140 Biggy, located at 3389 Greenfield Road in Dearborn. DEARBORN – Although it’s only been open for a month, the Biggby Coffee shop on Greenfield Road, near Rotunda Drive, already has patrons feeling a sense of community when they walk through the door. That atmosphere is led by owner Killoud Dabaja, 35, a lifelong Dearborn...
Annapolis High School suspends bullied Arab student, mother questions administration’s actions
November 14th, 20140 Annapolis High School is located in the south-end of Dearborn Heights.DEARBORN HEIGHTS — The mother of an Arab student at Annapolis High School is speaking out against the school district following months of alleged bullying and racial slurs from other students that escalated into an altercation at a powderpuff football game on......
Wayne Mayor Al Haidous reflects on public service and the American Dream
November 14th, 20140 Haidous.WAYNE — An immigrant arrives in the United States, opens a small business, becomes involved in the community and gets elected as a councilman in his small town. Then, he successfully runs for mayor and 13 years later moves on to become a county commissioner. Mayor Abdul "Al" Haidous maintains that his story is a testament...
Dearborn Police hires three Arab American officers
November 14th, 20140 Mayor O'Reilly and Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad pose with new police officer hirees.DEARBORN — The Dearborn Police Department announced this week that it has added four new officers to its police force, three of whom are Arab American residents from the city.The three Arab American officers are; Michael Hammoud, a graduate of the......
